


sunbathe 'til morning time (and your eyes will open wide)

by CelestiaICutie



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: (it's just weed and cigarettes tho don't worry), Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, CHAPTER FIVE HAS HOMOPHOBIA FOR A BIT BE WARNED, Eventual Smut, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Recreational Drug Use, Slow Burn, Steve Harrington is a Sweetheart, Touch-Starved, also supernatural shit has been Added because im a home of sexual, canon storytelling isn't in order, probably not as slow as a Normal slowburn bc i have adhd and i need sustenance, seasons 1-2 are still canon but season 3 is different, so season 3 is just feel-good summer bonding, some gore in chapter 7 but it's not in detail, the russians are Not trying to pull their shit this time, updating as I go along, well more like "i met you at my job and now we're pining for each other"
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-27
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2020-07-20 15:57:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19994863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CelestiaICutie/pseuds/CelestiaICutie
Summary: Working at Scoops Ahoy for the summer wasn't his ideal job, but it at least gave him a small amount of money to spend on who-knows-what. Steve also had the added bonus of talking to cute girls on the job, hanging out with the most relaxed coworker in history, and having a schedule that didn't really interfere with his summer social life.He never really expected to be strapped into an emotional rollercoaster within the first few days of July, but hey, life works in strange ways.(or, Steve Harrington meets a cute guy and falls,hard.)





	1. Vanilla Bean

"And another one bites the dust."

An annoying squeak echoed behind Steve Harrington as he hung his head, thoroughly embarrassed by his failed attempt at "flirting" with the girls behind the counter a moment prior.

"You are oh-for-six, _popeye_." Robin chimed as she finished drawing a thin line next to five other tally marks, each falling underneath the 'YOU SUCK' category on her whiteboard. Ever since they had first met on the job, Robin knew how much of a self-proclaimed "ladies' man" he was, and never let him live it down when his attempts at being suave crashed and burned. The whiteboard tally was fairly new, but over the span of two days, Steve had failed to earn any points on the 'YOU ROCK' category.

He turned around, glaring at the board as she dropped the marker in front of the board. "Yeah, yeah. I can count."

"You know that means you _suck_."

"Yep, I can read, too," Frustration was starting to seep into his tone, but he tried not to let it show on his face.

"Since when?" Robin cooed, sarcasm dripping from her tongue as she smiled at her coworker. As she slid the board to the side, Steve huffed and approached the counter, gently smacking his hands on the wood that separated the back room of the shop from the official store. 

"I'm telling you, it's this stupid hat! It is blowing my best feature." One of his hands lifted to gesture at the offending article of clothing, a sailor's hat with the word 'AHOY' printed in curled font on the front. It covered up his finely-styled hair, something he considered a shoo-in to make girls swoon over him. Robin, personally, didn't see what the big fuss was about.

"Yeah, company policy is a real drag." Silence hung in the air for a moment, but the murmur of patrons in the store prevented it from becoming awkward silence. "You know, it's a crazy idea, but have you considered," Robin shrugged her shoulders, "telling the truth?"

"Oh, you mean, that I couldn't even get into Tech and my douchebag dad's trying to teach me a lesson?" Steve quipped, staring down his apathetic coworker with a gaze that could accurately be described as 'icy'. "I make three bucks an hour, and I have no future? That truth?" It was obvious that he was pretty fed up with the way his social life was beginning to plummet.

Robin didn't even get to respond before movement caught her eye behind Steve. "Hey, twelve o'clock," she mumbled, pointing at a group of girls who seemed to be approaching the counter. Steve glanced their way, and had a moment of panic before steeling his nerves. As he whispered to himself, the girls had stopped to say hi to their friends in a nearby booth, and someone behind them ended up standing behind the register instead. She debated letting Steve know that he shouldn't try to embarrass himself for no reason, but her desire to see more of Steve being an idiot overrode any instinct to alert her friend. Robin smirked as she watched Steve throw his hat off and through the window she was standing in.

"And you know what? Screw company policy." He chuckled as he began to turn around. Steve took a moment to ruffle his hair back into place, almost as if he was preening himself to impress the girls he still anticipated to meet.

"AHOY, LADIES!" He squawked, before noticing that his gaze was a bit higher than it should have been to interact with the customer. The customer in question let out a snort of laughter, snapping their fingers in front of Steve to get his attention.

The person in front of him was certainly _not_ a lady. A boy, just a couple inches shorter than Steve, smirked up at him. Dark brown eyes sparkled with amusement behind aviator glasses. He looked to be around Steve's age, but didn't display any sort of teen-typical scruff or the gangly build that boys their age usually did. Thick, brown-black hair hung almost to his shoulders, lightly curled and windswept. Although it looked like he would burn in the sunlight, if the pale tone of his skin said anything about his habits, a light dusting of freckles was scattered over his face.

"Ahoy to you too," the shorter boy squinted as he read the nametag on Steve's chest, "'captain' Steve. Do you have vanilla bean?"

His voice was light and airy, but distinctly masculine compared to what Steve was expecting. He also noticed that the boy's lips were tinted a light shade of blue near his teeth, as if he was drinking a slushie earlier.

"Uh, yeah. How many scoops?" Steve mumbled, hurrying to get his scooper out as he saw the boy hold up two fingers.

"Two, please. Can I get it in a waffle cone?" He cooed, watching as the ice cream was hastily scooped up. Steve nodded in return, quickly depositing the scoop into a cone before getting the next scoop ready.

"Any toppings? Fruit, sprinkles, anything like that?" He was required to ask these questions, but it felt distinctly awkward as he said it. When he received a small shake of the head in response, he took that as an opportunity to hand the ice cream over to the boy.

"That'll be three seventy-five." He mumbled, grabbing the four dollars that were placed on the counter and dropping them in the register. He was about to grab the quarter that he needed before he was stopped by the boy.

"Oh, uh, keep the change," he said as he took a small taste of the ice cream, a pleased smile crossing his face as he did. "You know... I might just come back here again. If the vanilla bean is this good, the specials must be heavenly."

Now this was new. Robin had told Steve that they had regulars in the past, and it was easier to remember what they liked if they wrote down a name next to the orders they got. "Well, if you want to be one of our esteemed regular customers, can I get your name?"

Steve watched as the boy sighed, leaning over the counter as he pursed his lips. It was almost like he was debating whether he wanted to let this stranger know who he was, but came to a conclusion rather quickly.

"It's Cecil."

Cecil smiled warmly at the boy in front of him, leaning back and turning on his heel. As he walked away, he sent a small wave back to Steve.

It was at that moment that Robin peeked her head out of the window, seeing Steve turn to her with a mildly awestruck expression. A smirk tugged at her lips as she saw him reach for the notepad they had on hand, scribbling down a name and an order. "So, should I finally put a tally under 'YOU ROCK', or does that not count?"

Steve chuckled, peering around the corner to see his score on the whiteboard. Sure enough, Robin had wiped away a tally under the other category, if the black stain on her fingers said anything.

"You know what?" He sighed, looking back to see that Cecil was long gone by this point.

"Yeah. Go ahead."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is mainly gonna be both of these dumbasses realizing how in love they are. It _will_ take a bit bc I don't know how to format this shit, but I at least have a storyline in mind. Just hang tight, y'all.   
> (Small edit, changing title names to ice cream flavors bc I'm dumb and sappy HGKJKFHGDJHLK)


	2. Salted Caramel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy, my first fanfic already has kudos! Thank you guys for reading and liking this! Still a WIP, but I’m glad you guys enjoy it so far. Happy reading to you all!

Three weeks had passed since Cecil had first visited.

Over those three weeks, while he waited for the new regular to come back, he learned more about Robin. One night, when their shifts ran longer than usual, she had shared a couple blunts with him before they headed off for the night. In their less-than-sober state, they talked about their shared experiences at Hawkins High School. A good amount of their conversation was goofy and lighthearted, but the mood had shifted rather abruptly when Steve had asked her why she noticed him.

He knew that Robin was less than interested in him, in a romantic sense, but he still wasn't expecting that she was a lesbian. It wasn't common for people to fall for the same sex, but Steve had been around a couple of people who introduced him to the realm of homosexuality. Sure, it was usually a negative connotation, but he felt like that wasn't the full story about gay men and lesbians.

When he took her confession in stride, Robin nearly broke down in front of him. He saw tears welling up in her eyes, her shoulders shuddered. But she started laughing a moment later when he talked to her more about Tammy, the girl she admitted to having a crush on. The ride back to his house was a pleasant one as he ran through their conversation. He was glad to have found a friend like her, even if it took working with her at the "shittiest job in town" to find their friendship.

As he fidgeted behind the counter, he thought back to that emotion-filled conversation. Knowing that she was gay made him think more about her smug reaction to him meeting Cecil. After waiting for a lull in customers, he finally worked up the courage to ask her something.

"Hey, why did you want to put that tally under there?" As he spoke, he pointed at the 'YOU ROCK/SUCK' chart again. There was only one tally under the 'ROCK' section, with that one being from Cecil. The 'SUCK' section was rather crowded, as Steve continued his flirty endeavors and failed with most (if not all) of them.

Robin raised her eyebrow. "Why are you asking me that now, of all times?" she hummed, turning to face him completely as she set down the box of packaged cones she had been shuffling through.

"Because... uh," he fumbled for words, "you usually put down a tally for when I flirted with someone."

Robin's face shifted between multiple emotions. First confusion, then recognition, and finally settling on a smug, knowing grin. "Well, it certainly seemed like you were flirting with that guy. Have you seen how awkward you get when you talk to girls?" She puffed out her chest and mumbled a couple things about how she was 'the captain of scoops' and 'ice cream king extraordinaire' in a low and "flirty" voice, clearly mocking Steve. (He personally thought that his 'captain' line was a good opener, but Robin obviously thought otherwise.)

"You did the same thing when you talked to him. You get all quiet when you get embarrassed, too. I thought you were going to faint when he left." She moved to lean over the counter, crossing her arms as she stared Steve down.

"I don't flirt with guys," he huffed, "I only like girls. I've only ever flirted with _girls_. Not just in front of you, but everyone."

"Yeah? That doesn't mean you're suddenly unable to flirt with guys." Robin moved to lean a bit closer, her voice hushed. "Trust me, I know what your 'flirting'-" she lifted her hands up to make quotation marks in the air, "- looks like, and it happened when you talked to that guy."

"He has a name. Cecil, remember?"

"My point exactly. Why would you remember his name so easily? You've barely looked at the notepad all week."

"That doesn't mean I like him." Steve huffed.

"Do you think I haven't noticed you peeking in on me while I'm at the counter? If I had half a brain, I'd think you wanted to see him again." Robin's smug tone was not only audible, but practically _tangible_.

Now, Steve wasn't sure how to react to this information. He had always been sure that any sort of curiosity or wonder about another person was purely platonic. He had also been rather positive that he was only attracted to girls. But now, Robin's words were throwing him for a loop. Looking at it from an outsider's stance, he did seem to be rather obsessed with seeing Cecil again. In his head, he brushed it off as simple curiosity. Nothing more, nothing less. He felt like he wanted to know more about this stranger. He had never seen the kid in school, or if he did, couldn't remember it. People who aren't 'preppy' in Hawkins High are rather easy to pick out in a crowd, and Cecil did not fall into that category in the slightest.

His clothes had been rather dull, almost devoid of color compared to the bright interior of Scoops Ahoy and the flashy outfits of the patrons. He wore a baggy, grayish-red flannel shirt that seemed to be just a bit too big for his frame, hanging low enough to hide his hips from view. When he had walked away, Steve saw that he was wearing dark navy jeans and black Vans that had faded to a dark gray over time. It was too different from the status quo that it just felt... odd.

It took him just a moment longer to realize that he probably _was_ thinking about Cecil a bit more than he logically should have been.

Thankfully, he didn't have to respond to Robin's little quip, because the quiet ring of a bell echoed behind him. He shrugged and waved Robin off, turning to the counter with a plastered-on grin to greet the customer. He apologized for making the girl behind the counter wait, and got back to work. The distraction was definitely helping him think things over, and the orders he made were (thankfully) simple enough that he didn't need to focus on them too much.

Robin didn't pester him immediately once the line had been attended to, so he just leaned against the counter and waited. He started to let his mind wander as the background murmurs started to fade into ignore-able static. He thought about what he'd do during the weekend, if he should invite some of his friends to a party, and whether using up his monthly paycheck to visit the fairgrounds for the fourth of July was really worth it. He mainly focused on the latter of the three options, since the date itself was rapidly approaching. Sure, it would be fun to try and win some carnival games, see some kick-ass fireworks, and stay up late with his friends, but it was really damn pricey for a single night. He thought a discount to the price would've been implemented, seeing as it was a holiday, but the price for the tickets almost seemed to get higher as the days passed.

He was snapped out of his thoughts when someone knocked at the counter in front of him. Steve was about to berate them for not using the bell, but the words died in his throat as he saw who knocked.

Cecil smirked at him, waving his hand in front of Steve's face almost playfully. His outfit was more colorful today, consisting of a shirt proudly displaying the name of the band "Queen", loose-fitting blue jeans, and the same Vans he had worn the first time they met. Now that he wasn't wearing long sleeves, Steve got a pretty good look at the smaller boy's arms. It was obvious where he had gotten a tan from the sun, a visible line between pallid white and an almost cream-like color landing just below the hem of his sleeves. He certainly wasn't buff, but there was a small hint of muscle on his arms. And, of course, they were covered in light freckles and small, barely visible scars from mosquito bites that probably shouldn't have been scratched.

"Earth to the captain." Cecil chuckled, drawing Steve's attention again. The taller boy snapped to attention, clearing his throat and moving to get his scooper out.

"Uh, same as the last time?" He tried not to mumble, because that would only make Robin tease him more when Cecil left. He wasn't about to give into her schemes.  
(At least, not today.)

"No. I think I'd like to try the Salted Caramel." Cecil gestured up behind Steve. Sure enough, the flavor of the month was 'salted caramel', although he made a mental note to ask Robin about changing it when July finally rolled around. He nodded and got a scoop of the requested flavor ready, then looked up at Cecil.

"Waffle cone, cake cone, or bowl?" Steve chimed, feeling some of his confidence begin to come back to him. He knew how awkward he was earlier, but he was just caught off guard by the suddenness of Cecil's arrival.

"A bowl, please. One of the smaller ones."

"Coming right up." He chuckled, turning to grab one of the paper bowls they had stacked up by the window. As he did, he turned just a tad to the left, seeing that Robin was sitting in a chair behind the counter, just barely out of sight from the customers. She sent him a devious smile, obviously knowing who was being served. He mouthed "not a word" to her before turning back around, depositing the scoop of ice cream into the bowl with a flourish. It was corny, yes, but who was he to deny himself some flair every now and then?

"That'll be... a dollar thirty-five."

"Just a second, I have change this time." Cecil shuffled through his right back pocket, pulling out his wallet and dropping a dollar, quarter, and dime onto the counter. Steve noticed that, in place of a gift card or other assorted money, a navy blue patch of fabric was peeking out of one of the wallet’s many sections. But Cecil put the wallet back in his right pocket just as quickly as he had fished it out.

Steve brushed this aside as he dropped the coins into the register, sliding the dollar into place before sliding the bowl of ice cream towards his customer, dropping a plastic spoon inside the bowl as he did. Cecil hesitantly took a spoonful of the treat, and a flash of hesitation crossed his face. If Steve were to describe it, he’d probably say it was the “oh shit, I actually have to go through with this” face, one he was all too familiar with.

Cecil took a bite, and his nose scrunched up in surprise. He quickly took the spoon out of his mouth, swallowing the remainder of the scoop and pulling an odd expression.

”Bleugh.”

Steve couldn’t help but laugh. No one had ever reacted so strongly to a flavor in front of him, especially not to a fan-favorite of the establishment. He leaned back to catch his breath, watching as Cecil dropped the spoon back into the bowl and pursed his lips.

”I’m assuming you’re not a fan?”

A look of faux shock passed Cecil’s face. “Oh, how _ever_ could you tell?” he drawled, rolling his eyes as a smile began to tug at his cheeks.

”Well, maybe the next time you come in, we might have a different ‘flavor of the month’. Hell, it might even be vanilla bean.” Steve shrugged, watching as Cecil began to move away from the counter. 

The smaller boy chuckled softly, eyes glittering with excitement as he turned away. With another small wave, he pushed his way past the small group of girls near the entrance. Just like that, he had left.

Robin’s playful “ooooohh!” could be heard from the window, and Steve didn’t have to turn around to know that she was leaning out to condescend him.

”Can it, Buckley,” he huffed. Seconds later, he heard the telltale squeal of marker against plastic, which definitely caught his attention.

Robin proudly swung the whiteboard into view, displaying the brand new tally under ‘YOU ROCK’. “Maybe I might have to change the board. Probably wouldn’t be able to show it to anyone but you, though.” She leaned down, scribbling on the lower corner before showing what she wrote.

In the same, bold font, the words ‘YOU LIKE BOYS TOO’ were plastered in the corner. After she knew that Steve had seen her work, she rubbed the words away with her palm, leaving only a smudge of color in its place. Steve rolled his eyes, playfully batting at her shoulder as she hung the whiteboard back on the wall.

“Hey, change of topic, but can we change the flavor of the month? I’m thinking that vanilla will be a hit this July.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (if anyone can figure out the symbolism of the wallet, i’m gonna go feral in the best way possible)


	3. Mint Chocolate Chip

July had finally rolled around, and fireworks were already sparking in the air. More and more people began to flood the mall, searching for new clothes and temporary thrills in preparation for the fourth.

Steve wasn't expecting to see Cecil on the job as soon as the month turned, but here he was, preparing a double-scoop of vanilla bean for the smaller boy. Robin was working alongside him, as the usual line of customers had doubled its usual amount. She watched as he smoothly punched in the numbers on the cash register, sending Cecil a smirk as he turned to leave the counter. As Steve began working on the next customer's order, something surprised her as she scooped her own order into a bowl. Instead of immediately leaving, Cecil paused, before moving to sit in the closest empty chair to the counter.

Her eyebrows raised as she made eye contact with the boy, asking an unspoken question with her wide eyes. In response, he simply shrugged, leaning back and taking a small lick of his treat. As the line dwindled, and less patrons came into the building, his posture seemed to shift. Moments prior, he was leaning back in his seat nonchalantly. But now that only two customers were still awaiting their food, he had straightened his posture and leaned towards the counter. 

Steve only noticed Cecil after he had cleaned his scooper and slid it back into its pouch. His reaction was immediate, his eyes going wide as he saw Cecil wave at him. He gave Robin a quick glance, mouthing "you got this?" to her as he started to leave his position. She gave him a small nod, sending a thumbs up to him as he scampered out from behind the counter.

He slid into the empty chair across from Cecil, face breaking into a grin. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I wanted to ask you something. Are you free on the fourth?"

"Uh..." Steve blinked, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. He was planning on asking _Cecil_ that question. In fact, he had been planning to host a party on the fourth, and was hoping to invite him. He definitely wanted to introduce his friends to the new guy, and parties were the best way to get everyone in one place during the summer. "I'm actually gonna be at... a party."

Cecil's smile faltered for a second, replaced with faint confusion for the briefest moment, but Steve quickly started rambling. "Well I don't have to be at the party! If you wanna hang out, we totally can-"

The shorter boy lifted up his hand, "I didn't really have anything in mind, you know. I was just wondering if you had anything planned, like the fair or a fireworks show. You're one of the first people I've really hung out with here, and I wanted to get to know you better."

Steve didn't even have to turn around to know that Robin was gawking at them, the sudden squeak of sneakers against the linoleum and scandalized gasp from her direction just barely muffled by the other people milling about around them.

"Oh... uh," he cleared his throat, "would you like to come to the party? Lots of the other kids from school will be there, and I could introduce you to them." He glanced around, making sure that no adults or kids were in earshot before continuing. "We might have vodka, beer, that sort of shit. Maybe even some weed, if we're lucky."

Cecil chuckled, leaning forward and resting his arms against the table between them. "As long as there's no cocaine, count me in. Where's the party gonna be?"

"My house. My parents are usually busy, so the house belongs more to me than it does to them." Steve paused, looking around for a moment before sliding out of his seat. "Give me a second, I'll write the address down for you." When he received a nod in return, he scampered through the back door, ripping out an empty page of their store's notebook and grabbing a pencil on his way back out. Steve slid back into his seat, trying to write as neatly as he could to avoid potential mix-ups with the address itself. When he had finished writing the address, he slid the paper across the table, prompting Cecil to take it and fold it up neatly. He tucked the piece of paper into his front pocket, moving to leave his seat.

But before he completely left, he lingered just a moment longer. “If you’re not busy in a couple hours, would you like to hang out here? I wanna check out some of the other stores here, and I’d like to have someone who knows the layout of this maze be my guide. I’ll be by the fountain.”

Steve didn’t even hesitate, nodding excitedly as he rose from his seat. Cecil smiled in return, turning around as he left the ice cream parlor.

As Steve walked back to his place behind the counter, Robin clapped him on the shoulder with a proud grin. “Not even the third time you see each other, and you’ve already planned a date? Impressive!”

“Yeah, yeah, shut up.” Steve rolled his eyes and shrugged her hand off his shoulder, gesturing for her to go and take her break. “The faster I get my job done, the less I have to hear you heckling me. Also, didn’t you already plan a date with that girl from the skating rink you met yesterday? The pot shouldn't call the kettle black.”

”And people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.” Robin called as she headed to the back room, chuckling softly as she faded out of earshot.

The taller boy sighed, glancing at the clock hanging above the shelves in the back. His shift would officially end at five, and it was currently three-fifteen in the afternoon. Hopefully, Cecil would be at the fountain like he had promised.

"What the hell am I looking at?"

Just as promised, when Steve finished his work and scampered to the fountain located in the center of the mall, Cecil had been waiting for him. He had been lounging on a bench right in front of the fountain, occasionally leaning over to dip his hand into the cool water. After they met back up, the first stop that Steve had chosen was the store Merry Go Round. Being a popular store, it was chock-full of teens and adults alike, all milling around and creating a dull hum of background noise. What had really caught their attention was the horrendous Fourth of July clothing that had been flying off the shelves.

The outfits themselves would have been fine, had they not been painfully vibrant and bright. The contrast between the neon red and the dull blue made Steve's eyes hurt if he stared at an outfit for too long. Red and white pants looked more like a carnival barker's clothes the more they looked at them. The stars made out of sequins on a nearby dress caught the lights hanging above, unintentionally shining the light directly into the eyes of unsuspecting customers. Long story short, most of the clothes were gaudy and horrible.

Cecil narrowed his eyes as he lifted up the sleeve of a slim-fitting dress, cringing as he felt the rough fabric. "This would be pretty," he mumbled, glancing at the tasteful patterning of stars on the hem, "if the fabric didn't feel like sandpaper."

"Gross. Red denim? It just looks like this was dipped in blood and left to soak." Steve didn't know too much about modern fashion, especially since he stuck with what he knew more than what was hip, but even he could tell when some fabric should've been scrapped for something else. The denim jacket he was holding was, in fact, dyed a dark red, adorned with silver studs and snap-buttons. Some of the buttons even had a star pattern on them. But the red did look like blood, which Steve personally thought was tacky and tasteless.

When they got past the entrance to the store, the outfits became progressively less vibrant, but also less gaudy. Faded denim jeans had embroidered stars on the pockets, button-ups had simple white and blue patterns with small red buttons, and shirts actually displayed an accurate picture of the American flag. On top of that, there were far more accessories near the back of the store.

Cecil was rustling through a box of scrunchies when he heard Steve make an odd noise behind him. As he turned, he saw that the taller boy was staring at a piece of blue fabric, no wider than two fingers. On closer inspection, Cecil recognized the fabric as a fishnet glove that hadn't been stretched out. He knew that, if someone didn't know what it was in the first place, it looked a little too much like a cock accessory. Steve certainly didn't know, if the shocked expression and mild blush said anything.

"Where does this go?" Steve whispered, wiggling it around in the air. As Cecil looked around, he spotted a pair of legwarmers in the same color as the glove. They looked almost like an oversized version of the glove, which gave him a devious idea. He reached over, pulling them off of the rack where they were hanging.

"And where does _this_ go?"

The taller boy nearly toppled over at that response, letting out a shaky "OOOH!" in response before breaking into laughter. Cecil smiled brightly in response, his own laughter a bit more subdued. A couple other shoppers gave them some funny looks as the duo tried to recover, but they kept looking at the legwarmers still in Cecil's hands and breaking into another fit of giggles. Finally, they discarded the legwarmers when a tired employee gave them the stink eye, stifling their giggles as they left.

"I've never had that much fun in a store before," Cecil snorted, his face still tinted a faint shade of red from laughing. Currently, they were lounging in front of Brookstone. They had stopped to get a drink from Orange Julius as soon as they left the Merry Go Round, silently making a deal not to go to any other clothing stores.

"Oh, that's not the craziest thing I've seen in a store. Were you here when they had to close down the Jazzercise store?" When he received a shake of the head in response, Steve adjusted his stance and leaned forwards. "So, there was a huge scandal with two of the people who decided to use the 'private room' at the store. Turns out, this guy and gal were fucking in there because they didn't wanna spend money to rent a hotel. One of the instructors caught them and basically quarantined the whole area. I've never seen so many angry thirty year-old moms in the store before. I thought they were going to tear down the metal fence."

During the story, Cecil was practically vibrating with contained laughter. At the end, he glanced over to the store in question, turning back to Steve with a sly grin. "Wonder if they think it won't happen again?" He punctuated his sentence with a well-placed eyebrow wiggle, making the taller boy nearly choke on his smoothie. As he wiped his lips, he let out a snort of laughter to try and hide how flustered that question made him.

"What, do you think that's the first time it's happened? It's only the first time someone was _caught._ I've heard at least three people talk about how they got it on in there," he snorted, "and that's not the only place people have banged."

Another peal of laughter broke out between the two of them, and they had to shush each other before anyone got concerned. A small buzz drew the attention of Cecil, and he glanced at his watch before straightening up a little bit more.

"Oh, shit. I should head home. I gotta make supper anyways." He gestured to the clock hanging above the mall's fountain, which displayed that it was almost half-past seven. "Do you want to hang out again before the party? It'll be my treat."

Steve leaned back in his seat casually, chuckling as he watched Cecil stand up.

"I'd be honored."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YEEHAW Y'ALL  
> so yeah. i'm sticking with the ice cream names bc i'm baby  
> i also looked up all of the places in the starcourt mall for ref and god. there's so many stores  
> but hopefully i won't need to focus on the mall as much when this gets Rollin uwu


	4. Rocket Pop

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEADS UP all chapters named after popsicles or shaved ice treats are NSFW chapters. hfjdhgjlfd because ice cream and popsicles look like di
> 
> (might add the word "pop" or "-sicle" to some of the more obscure ones to make it clear gfhjdhdgj)

Cecil's head was spinning.

He was comfortable with his sexuality, mostly due to his parents not really caring much about his partners or relationships for the majority of his life. He knew that he was gay, and accepted that wholeheartedly. But he had never fallen for someone of the same sex as hard as he did with Steve, and that was throwing him for a loop. He didn't know if Steve was even _interested_ in guys, dammit! He shouldn't be getting chills whenever Steve touched him, shouldn't feel his cheeks heat up whenever he leaned a bit too close, and certainly shouldn't feel blood rushing to another part of him whenever he heard the taller boy chuckle in that downright devious way.

Turns out, his heart and body didn't like to listen to his brain, because that was exactly what was happening to him.

It was almost one in the morning, and he had been jolted awake by the sound of his cat running around. That wouldn't have been a problem any other time, but he had been woken up in the middle of a wet dream that he was already forgetting about. So now, he was stuck with a boner. Cecil groaned as he sat up, letting out a hitched breath as he felt the fabric of his sweatpants shift over his cock.

Currently, he had two options. He could either try to go back to sleep, or he could jack off and avoid having another wet dream.

Ah, fuck it.

His hand slowly snaked down his abdomen, and he inwardly cringed at how his body reacted to the feather-light touch. He felt desperate, and it was embarrassing, but it felt too _good_ to just ignore. Cecil could almost feel his breath catch in his throat when his fingers ran along the hem of his boxers. When had he last jacked off? It felt like ages, according to his lust-addled thoughts.

After a couple more seconds of dragging out his suffering (which he enjoyed immensely), he finally took his cock in his hand. The slightest graze of his thumb over the head sent Cecil reeling backwards, a pitiful whimper clawing it’s way out of his mouth as he fell back onto his bed. God, that noise sounded so weird to him. It sounded whiny, even. Whatever, he just had to cum and get it over with.

As he started to rub along his length, he found his mind drifting. Drifting to the past few days, back to the conversation he had with Steve and the sex scandal that happened in the mall’s most popular exercise studio. It was just something to laugh about when he first heard it, but now, it was only fueling his desires.

Cecil let out another shaky moan as he let himself fall deeper into the fantasy he was creating. He thought of Steve dragging him to the back room one day, that devious smirk playing at his lips once more. His heart fluttered as he imagined what it would feel like if he was pinned against the wall, kissing the taller boy like his life depended on it. The faint sensation of lips grazing his neck was just a figment of his imagination, but the thought of it made him squirm and pick up the pace of his movements.

He barely even registered that his legs were spreading wider with each passing second. When his thigh hit the corner of his bed, Cecil snapped his eyes open. What he saw was almost sinful.

His cock was standing completely erect under his boxers, his legs twitching with unreleased energy. His breathing had quickened long ago, but he didn’t notice until now that he was _panting,_ like a dog in heat. If his face could have gotten any more red, it would have. Cecil whimpered again, squeezing his eyes shut and trying to ignore the knot of pleasure tightening in his abdomen. Pre-cum dripped down his length at this point, causing each thrust of his hips into his palm to create a soft _schlick_. He was so close, he knew it. He wanted- no, needed to cum.

Cecil barely even needed to move his hand at that point. His hips moved on their own, thrusting against his cupped hand almost automatically. Choked pleas for more bounced off the walls, making it seem like his little whispers were desperate mewls. His mind started to blank as he got closer and closer to cumming, and his small fragments of sentences finally died down to one word; Steve. He chanted the boy’s name like a mantra, begging for release that felt like it would never come. 

And then, the floodgates broke. His free hand, which he didn’t know was scrabbling for purchase, tightened around the sheets as he bucked into his hand. He probably should have taken his pants off earlier, because he felt like he wouldn’t ever _stop_ cumming. Small stains began to blossom as he painted the inside of his boxers white, soft gasps of ecstasy breaking the relative silence of the room.

It took a good couple of seconds to come down from his high, his ass landing with a _thump_ back down onto the bed. His legs shuddered, his hand felt gross and sticky, but he was satisfied. As he laid in bed, debating whether he should just change now or wait until the morning, he tugged his palm out of his pants. A cursory glance was all it took to know that it would be disgusting if he left it to sit, seeing as how his hand looked like it was covered in donut glaze.

Cecil huffed as he rolled out of bed, nearly falling to the floor as he fumbled for his glasses with his clean hand. Sure, he’d feel the sleep deprivation later in the day, but it was worth it for the intense orgasm he had.

Although, he should probably have invested in earplugs. Maybe that would prevent any future late-night masturbation sessions.


	5. Rocky Road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SORRY i forgot about this,,,,, but worry not! my temp job is over and i have free time now!

It was finally the fourth, and already, parties were cropping up around every corner. Tonight, however, Steve was hosting his own party. Spreading the word was moderately difficult, seeing as people were all over the town at all hours of the day. Thankfully, people started pouring in after the clock hit noon. Nancy and Jonathan were the first two who arrived, helping him set up the drinks and food. After the party began to kick into gear, the jocks quickly swarmed Steve's house, followed by the cheerleaders. As fireworks started to light up the sky, his hopes for the night began to wane.

Just when it didn't seem like Cecil was going to arrive, a knock at the door caught his ear. He nearly faceplanted into the door when he skidded to a stop, flinging the door open to see the man he was waiting for. He was dressed just as casually as he was in the past, but he looked noticeably less scruffy than before. His wavy hair was styled ever so slightly, just enough to keep it out of the way for the night. His jeans looked a bit more tight-fitting, but Steve couldn't tell for sure, as an oversized letterman jacket covered most of his hips and thighs. The maroon and white jacket proudly displayed a large W on the front, but he couldn't place the specific school just from his cursory glance. 

"Hey dude! Come on in, make yourself comfy!" Steve chimed, stepping aside to reveal the party to Cecil. The smaller boy tensed up as he saw just how packed the place was, but he smiled up at Steve before quickly brushing past. He took the brief opportunity to glance at the back of the jacket, seeing a roaring panther resting comfortably below the word "WATERVLIET". Although he had never been too active in sports, preferring to keep his schedule open, he did recognize the name of one of the rival schools in Michigan. Filing that tidbit of information away, he trailed behind Cecil until they left the entryway. He gestured to the smaller boy to follow him as he made a beeline towards Nancy and Jonathan.

"Hey guys, I met someone new this summer." Jonathan nearly leaped a foot in the air when he heard Steve behind him. He turned to see Steve patting Cecil on the shoulder, pushing him ever so slightly towards the duo. "Cecil, this is Jonathan and Nancy. Johnny, Nance, this is Cecil," the taller boy concluded. Nancy smiled warmly at the newcomer, holding her hand out for a handshake. 

"It's good to meet you! Are you new to Hawkins?" Her head cocked to the side as she eyed up Cecil's jacket, already knowing the answer within a couple seconds. "Just so you know, we're not as lame of a town as you'd think..."

Jonathan shook his head as he watched Nancy wink conspiratorially, patting Cecil on the shoulder. "She's joking. Hawkins is kinda boring, but that just means we can make our own fun."

"If these past few days are any indicator, one of you two is lying." Cecil chuckled, glancing up at Steve for a moment. Under the artificially-colored lights (that Steve did _not_ just buy for parties like these, no way), there wasn't much of a change in his face, but he could feel his cheeks warm as he thought of the previous night. He shook his head to clear his thoughts, and quickly fired up a new conversation to pass the time.

As the night progressed, more and more booze was consumed, and the partygoers became more and more rowdy as a result. Cecil kept his drinking to a minimum, wanting to be sober enough to head home, but that didn't mean he was immune from the outlandish behaviors of the others. Quite a few people mistook him for a girl, but he could understand that with the way he looked. The hours ticked by as he watched people lipsync to the radio, play spin the bottle, and generally have a good time.

But the night quickly took a turn when a buff teen, clearly drunk off his own ass, sauntered up to him. At first, Cecil ignored his approach, but a firm hand on his shoulder quickly forced him to pay attention.

"Can I help you?" He couldn't help but scrunch up his nose as the strong smell of vodka graced his senses, but tried to hold a neutral face.

"Hey, you're the new kid, right? Never thought Steve would fuck around with fags like you," the boy snarled, his malicious grin boring into Cecil's very soul. He flinched at the harsh word, only prompting the jock to cackle with delight.

"Oh, this is rich! What's your name, sweetie? 'Pansy'?" He stepped forward, his grip tightening on Cecil's shoulder. He yelped as he felt the tips of the taller teen's fingers dig into his shoulder-blade, stumbling over his own feet as the jock advanced. "You even sound like a fuckin' girl! I wonder..."

His heart pounded in his chest as he felt the taller boy lift him up, pressing him against the nearest wall and pulling his other hand out of his pocket. His legs kicked frantically as he watched the stranger ready a swing at him.

"Do you _scream_ like a girl too?"

Just as he scrunched his eyes closed, waiting for the sting of knuckles slamming into his jaw, the grip on his shirt loosened. A loud grunt sounded out as Cecil fell to the ground, and his eyes snapped open to see the jock stumbling away from him. Two legs stepped into his line of view, and he looked up to see Steve standing over him.

"God dammit, Tommy," Steve hissed as he shook his hand, "I didn't fucking invite you. How the hell did you get in?"

Tommy groaned as he rose to his feet, rubbing his jaw. "Carol told me all about this little party. Thought I'd have some fun. And _whaddya know_ , you're suddenly the fairy magnet in town!" He chuckled, swaying unsteadily. "Not very often that I get to fuck up the town fags, ever since you became such a dick about it."

Cecil scrambled to his feet, hearing a hush fall over the partygoers as Tommy raised his voice. He wanted to sink into the shadows, disappear from all the people staring at him-

"You're just too dense to see what a real man looks like," Steve boomed. He took a wider stance now, shielding Cecil from view. "Now, get out of my _fucking_ house."

In a furious, drunken rage, Tommy ran forward, swinging his arms wildly at his former friend. Steve grunted as a fist connected with his eye, but skidded to a halt before lashing out himself. They exchanged blows as people watched in awe, up until Steve swung low. The crowd erupted in cheers and gasps as the jock keeled over, wheezing from the punch to his gut. Steve, now bleeding from the nose from a wayward punch, grabbed the drunken teen by the collar. He shoved him towards the door as he struggled to recover from the blow, gasping for breath. He nearly knocked the door off its hinges as he slammed Tommy into it, reaching down just long enough to open the door and shoved the lighter male out. Tommy was able to lash out once more, catching Steve on the lip before the door was slammed in his face.

When Steve turned back around, his eye was already starting to bruise, and his lip was now visibly busted. He gasped for breath as Tommy slammed himself into the door, and the party fell silent once more as the protests from outside grew less and less frantic. Finally, the jock audibly stormed off, and the room seemed to relax.

After the fight, people began to trickle out of the party. First, Tommy's cronies quickly left to reconcile with their leader, followed by their respective girlfriends and admirers. Others left with flimsy excuses, blatantly wanting to leave such a tense environment to celebrate elsewhere.

By seven, the only ones left at the party were Steve, Nancy, Jonathan, and Cecil. Jonathan shuffled through the freezer for a bag of ice, rolling his eyes as he heard Steve let out a grunt of complaint.

"Did you have to make him upset? You could've just told him to leave." Nancy chided as she dabbed a wet towel on Steve's lip, wiping away the blood that trickled down his chin. Cecil sat on the counter next to the duo, wringing his hands as he watched Steve flinch with each touch.

"He would've ignored me. Y'know how he gets when he's drunk, Nance."

"Still..." the girl paused, turning to face the newer member of the group. "Hey, are you okay?"

Cecil almost seemed to jolt backwards, hesitating for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, I just landed pretty hard," he mumbled, eyes reconnecting with Steve's wounds. "Shit, I'm sorry-"

"No, I'm sorry. I should've kept a closer eye on who came in. This wouldn't have happened if I kept that bastard out in the first place- OW." Steve recoiled as a small ziploc baggie made contact with his bruise, glowering at Jonathan.

"It wasn't anyone's fault but Tommy. He came in here looking for a fight." Jonathan huffed, waiting until Steve held the bag of ice in place before stepping away. "Keep that on there for a couple minutes, I'm gonna go find something to help keep it in place."

As the photographer walked away, Nancy moved to follow him. When met with quizzical looks, she shrugged in response. "I'm going to look for some tylenol."

When the footsteps of the lovers faded away, Steve and Cecil were left hanging in awkward silence. Cecil shifted, his mouth opening ever so slightly, before settling back into place. Minutes passed as they waited for the duo to return from their journey to the upper floor, and the situation began to sink in even more. Steve hissed as a jolt of pain echoed through his skull, pinching the bridge of his nose in a weak effort to dull the feeling.

A soft gasp broke him out of his concentration, and he looked up to see a tear roll down Cecil's cheek. He quickly wiped it away, but his chest shuddered as he tried to hold in a sob. Steve's heart ached as he watched the boy fight his emotions, and he dropped the bag of ice onto the table.

"Hey. Hey, Cecil, look at me." He mumbled, moving to sit next to the smaller boy. Cecil slowly turned his head, tears starting to freely run down his reddened cheeks. "I'm okay. This will all go away in, like, two weeks. Besides, this isn't the only time I've been in a fight."

The freckled teen took a shaky breath, and a choked sob ripped its way out of his throat. "F-fuck... I'm sorry, I'm just-" Another sob cut him off, and he angrily wiped away his tears. "It's nothing, just... just me being an... an idiot."

"Bullshit. If it's nothing, you wouldn't be crying." Steve huffed, chuckling lightly as he moved to rest his hand on Cecil's shoulder. He flinched, but settled into the touch after a moment of hesitation. "You can tell me. I promise."

Silence hung in the air for a moment more. Cecil seemed to wilt as he steadied his voice.

"I'm gay. He was right." Cecil nearly broke into tears again, waiting for Steve to push him away, call him a slur, or-

Steve wrapped his arms around the smaller boy, stunning him into near-silence. He smelled like alcohol, hair conditioner, and sweet honey. His voice caught in his throat as he tried to ask "why", letting out a quiet cry as he leaned into the hug. He sobbed into the taller boy's shoulder, feeling Steve's hand gently rubbing his back as he let out his emotions.

He heard footsteps approaching and huddled closer to the boy who had fought for him, his sobs quieting as Nancy and Jonathan returned. Nancy gasped as she saw the scene in front of her, rushing forward and placing her hand on Cecil's shoulder. He turned to face her, wiping away a wayward tear as she scanned his face.

"Oh gosh..." she mumbled, looking over her shoulder to see Jonathan place a first aid kit on the counter. "Cecil, I think you should stay here for the night. You look horrible-" she cut herself off, shaking her head as she moved to grab a tissue from the counter. "You look so tired, I mean."

As she redid her statement, Cecil felt his body grow just a tad weaker. He always did get exhausted after he cried.

"You're right, Nance. I have a spare room upstairs, if you wanna sleep there." Steve's tone had shifted dramatically, now speaking quietly and soothingly to the boy still wrapped up in his arms. They slowly pulled apart, Nancy helping Cecil down off the counter as Jonathan smacked Steve upside the head. As the two boys bickered over the care of Steve's bruise, Nancy wiped away some of Cecil's tears while she lead him to the spare room.

"Hey, I apologize about tonight. I promise, parties here aren't always like that." She assured the smaller boy, smiling brightly when he chuckled in response. Nancy quietly opened the door to the spare room, allowing Cecil to walk in on his own. "I'll be back in a bit, gotta make sure those two don't cause another scuffle."

As she scurried back downstairs, the smaller boy sat down on the comfortable bed, taking a deep breath as he observed the room. Exhaustion made it hard for him to focus, however, and he instead moved to crawl under the covers. He would definitely be feeling the hems of his jeans when he woke up, but that was a tomorrow problem. 

Tonight, he needed to rest.


	6. Cherry Sherbet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> once more i apologize for the radio silence,,,,,, i keep forgetting i'm writing this and quarantine is messing with my grasp of time :((  
> i'll try to be a bit more active!

Steve jolted awake at the sound of his alarm clock blaring at him, but instead of waking up in his bed, he quite nearly toppled out of a rocking chair before managing to right himself. The dull thump of his head drowned out the noise for a moment, but when he cleared his head, he realized that the blaring was coming from another room. His eyes focused on his surroundings, slowly piecing together that he was in the spare bedroom. The initial shock of the situation wore off of him, and what happened the previous night came rushing back to him. 

After Nancy broke up the spat that Jonathan created (hey, he _did_ smack Steve first), she and Jonathan had left for the night. Steve had originally wanted to go straight to bed, but his concern for Cecil far outweighed his desire to sleep. He waited until he heard the smaller boy's quiet snores before entering the room, checking up on him before sitting down on the rocking chair in the corner of the room. Sure, it was uncomfortable, but apparently not _too_ uncomfortable, since he was out like a light within a couple of minutes. He just wanted to make sure he slept well enough, but his own exhaustion knocked him out before he could head back to his room.

Cecil was still fast asleep, but had rolled around enough to be thoroughly cocooned in his blankets. He was facing Steve, his gentle breaths blowing his hair out of his face for only a moment at a time. The window's blinds hadn't been closed, so sunlight danced across his face in a way that could only be described as ethereal. The light didn't seem to be bothering him, but every now and then, his eyelashes would flutter like he was moments away from waking up. Steve also noticed, albeit rather belatedly, that he wasn't wearing his glasses, so he could see every single freckle scattered over the smaller boy's face.

Steve's breath caught in his throat as he processed the sight. The past few days had been a constant stream of mental battles with himself over his sexuality, but he never really gave it much thought until small things like this happened. He had seen the girls he liked sleeping by his side before, but he would likely never call any of them beautiful. At least, not in the way that he saw Cecil right now. The sight looked almost like an old classical painting to him, elegant and poised. He could've stayed like this forever-

Then he slid completely off his chair and thudded to the floor. In his daze, he had been progressively leaning forward, and the polished wood of the rocking chair made it far easier for him to fall off. He grunted quietly as his chin banged against the carpet, and he heard a loud creak from above him. A sound of surprise cut through the air before another thunk cut it off, and Steve opened his eyes to see that the blankets that used to cover Cecil had also fallen to the floor with him still wrapped tightly in them.

Cecil groaned as he sat up, having bumped his head against the wall on his way down. As he started to rise from the carpet, Steve got up at the same moment, and they locked eyes. They stared at each other for what felt like hours, both processing what just happened. Before Steve could laugh the incident off, Cecil's cheeks suddenly flared crimson red. He stuttered over his words, jaw hanging open before snapping shut. That was already odd enough to completely halt Steve's train of thought, but what came out of Cecil's mouth derailed it entirely.

"OH, uh, did we- um, I mean, did we do- uh-" Cecil's eyes looked everywhere but at Steve as he tried to ask his question.

The gears in Steve's brain clunked into place moments later, and now it was his turn to blush madly.

"Wh- NO, WAIT A SECOND, that's not it!" He squawked, waving his hands in front of him. "I was sitting on the chair and I fell asleep and..." As he spoke, the taller boy gestured at the still-moving rocking chair. Cecil's eyes tried to focus on him, but he didn't really see much detail with the sun shining in his face and his poor vision. He turned to grab his glasses off the bedside table he left them on, and when they were on, most of his fears were assuaged. 

Firstly, unlike what his brain was telling him (and what his poor sight made him think was true), Steve was pointedly _not_ naked. His light-colored shirt had looked almost identical to his skin tone under the rays of the sun, which prompted his panic. Secondly, it seemed that he was telling the truth, as his slicked-back hair was still perfectly styled, unlike what it would be if the duo did have a rowdy night together. And lastly, he was just as embarrassed as Cecil was, which definitely helped him relax.

"Oh, uh... sorry for freaking you out." He mumbled under his breath, his blush dying down as he moved to pick up the blankets he had tumbled down with. Steve breathed a sigh of relief, moving to Cecil's side and lifting the other end of the blankets.

"Don't be, it's not your fault." As he spoke, Steve gently elbowed the smaller boy, letting out a light chuckle. The little gesture lightened the mood, the tension in the air dissipating as Cecil responded with a laugh of his own.

After making the bed in the guest room, the duo made their way downstairs. Both of their stomachs growled in complaint as they scrounged for food. Cecil settled for toast and jam, and Steve grabbed a bowl of cereal, settling down at the table when their respective meals were ready.

Cecil took small, polite bites of his toast at first. But when he looked up, he nearly choked on his food. Steve was shoveling large spoonfuls of cereal in his mouth, and his cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk. The smaller boy put down his toast as he struggled to hold back his laughter, prompting Steve to glance up. He chewed his mouthful and swallowed, only to prepare another scoop of cereal as he spoke.

"What's up?" he mumbled. Cecil took a moment, still letting out quiet snickers as he composed himself.

"Your face, um... hmhm- your face looked weird when you did that." Cecil took a napkin off the table to wipe crumbs off his face, hiding his already blushing cheeks from view. "You looked like a squirrel."

Steve glanced from side to side, then slowly put his spoon in his mouth. His cheeks puffed out once more, and Cecil broke into another peal of laughter. A few seconds passed before he put his napkin down, picking up his toast and taking a large bite. His cheeks didn't puff up as much, but the intention was clear. Steve, thankfully, didn't have as strong of a reaction, but he did chuckle a bit before swallowing his spoonful.

As he swallowed, he felt an odd shiver roll over his spine as he looked up at Cecil. Some of the strawberry jam from his toast was stuck on his cheeks, but at first glance, it didn't look like jam. Coupled with his pale complexion, the other teen looked much like a stereotypical vampire. It was uncanny.

But he didn't have much time to comment on it, as Cecil wiped away the jam moments later.

"Good impression, dude!" Steve smirked, gesturing with his spoon to his tablemate. The two shared a laugh before continuing to eat, each finishing their meals at around the same time. It was only when Cecil glanced at his watch did he realize just how late in the afternoon it was, and he nearly fell out of his chair.

"Oh, shit- I gotta get home! My cat's gonna raise hell if he doesn't get his food soon," he yelped, managing to scoot out of his chair before he made his way to the door. Just as he was about to leave, he paused and turned back to Steve.

"If you ever wanna hang out again, meet me at the fountain again! I'll be there as often as I can!"

And with that, he scampered out of the doorway, and Steve was left stunned for a moment. But a grin started to spread across his face, and he shook his head slightly in response to the sudden departure.

He was very excited to see Cecil again, that's for sure.


	7. Tiger's Blood Snowcone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> update: maybe there is a little bit of supernatural stuff going on,,, as a treat  
> (but its still unrelated to the season 3 shit lmao)

Steve was used to odd things happening, especially when he was around the kids he babysat. Well, used to babysit, since all of them were old enough to stay home alone without neighbors phoning child protective services. However, this summer was surprisingly uneventful in terms of crazy shit happening. Hell, the most thrilling part of his summer was getting his job at Scoops.

It made him uneasy.

Usually, he'd be facing off against an alien, getting his ass kicked, or scrambling after the kids in an effort to keep them safe. It was shocking that he wanted to fight again, especially since everyone else in town was blissfully unaware of the past threats to their planet. The peace was nice, but it was nicer knowing that there wasn't a threat because he eliminated it.

He had even asked Dustin if there were any odd occurrences outside of his job, and got nothing. He had adopted a puppy when he returned from camp (named D'Artagnan, which was the perfect name blend of nerdy and adorable) and reunited with his companions, nothing too out of the ordinary. Even Eleven, who visited him at work every now and then, had only had a few normal lovers spats with Mike. No visions of the future, no creeping feeling of dread, nothing.

So, when he got off of work and couldn't find Cecil by the fountain, he leapt at the opportunity to search for some adventure. He booked it to the forest, walking along the train tracks once more. His bat rested over his shoulder as he walked, and he instinctively jumped at every little noise outside of his own shoes crunching on the leaves.

As he walked, he would hear the occasional squawk from a crow, or the odd screeching of a fox, but nothing too out of the ordinary. So, his mind began to wander as he kept plodding along, looking back on the day prior. A faint blush dusted his cheeks as he remembered Cecil's sleeping form, the beautiful image still embedded in his head. It was insane how pretty a boy could be. Everything from his long, soft-looking hair to his porcelain skin, every single aspect of him was beautiful. By this point, he had somewhat accepted his attraction for the other teen, but the thought that he may feel the same way was nothing more than a high hope for him. Still, it didn't hurt to have a crush.

Steve was snapped back to reality when his foot hit something semi-solid, and he nearly fell on his ass out of surprise. His foot had come into contact with a decaying raccoon carcass. He had to hold back the urge to gag when the smell hit his nose, stepping back and pinching his nose closed to prevent it from getting worse. After a moment of recovery, he moved to inspect the raccoon.

It was dead as a doornail, but the wounds were rather minimal. In fact, if it wasn't for the dried blood, Steve would've assumed it had just keeled over and died of natural causes. But there was a large bitemark on the animal's throat, multiple puncture wounds indicating that a creature with sharp teeth dealt the killing blow. The bite didn't look like any bitemark he had ever seen before, neither humanoid nor animalistic. The raccoon seemed very gaunt as well, as if it had been starved for days before its death.

Now this was what he had been looking for.

Steve went home rather quickly after that, but made sure to take note of the raccoon's location for later. Hopefully a wolf wouldn't take the carcass as a meal, because he needed photographic evidence to prove that something was wrong, and couldn't get the photos without Jonathan's help. He left a voicemail for the Byers' residence saying that he needed a photographer, hoping that a response would come soon.

The first thoughts for what caused such a death were stereotypical enough. A werewolf, vampire, ghoul, all supernatural in nature. However, when those thoughts were out of his head, he started putting more thought into what it could _actually_ be. It could very well be a new type of demogorgon. He wrote down each little idea that popped into his head, occasionally speaking out loud to jumpstart his train of thought.

Eventually, the phone rang, and Steve practically leapt at it in response. Jonathan's voice was a relief to him, and he quickly informed the other boy about where to find his discovery. It only took the duo an hour to arrive at the right spot, but when they did, Jonathan was already snapping photos of the carnage.

"Why am I helping you with this again?" Jon huffed, making sure to take a clear picture of the bitemark on the raccoon's throat as he spoke.

"Because I wanna make sure nothing like November happens again."

Jon tensed. His shoulders jolted as he shifted his position, but he refused to give any more of a reaction to Steve's statement. They stood quietly for a few moments, with only the sound of the wind through the leaves punctuating the silence. Suddenly, Jon's attention was dragged away from his camera, and he got up quickly.

"What- what is it?" Steve moved to follow the other boy, feeling an air of dread settle over him.

"Something was here. Look."

He pointed at a patch of dirt on the side of the train tracks, where there was a deep imprint of claws leading away from the raccoon. They were shockingly large, resembling the nails of a large dog. The duo's eyes followed the direction of the marks, noticing that the imprints of the claws became more distant from each other the further they went. Jon snapped a few pictures of the trail as he walked, Steve following close behind as they followed the tracks. As they walked, the hair on Steve's neck began to stand on end, and Jon moved closer to the taller boy instinctively. Something was off about the situation.

When they arrived at the edge of the forest, Steve's blood ran cold. Along the side of the road, there was a small splatter of drying blood. What's worse, he could clearly see the imprint of a human palm in the blood. Jon glanced over at Steve, his eyes wide with confusion, before taking a picture of the road.

The blood didn't trail any further from the original splatter, so they had no way to try and find what caused the injury. Jon promised to get the photos developed as soon as he could, much to Steve's relief, but there was an air of worry hanging over the two of them as they both headed home.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cecil grunted quietly as he wrapped his hand in gauze, watching as the cream-colored fabric surrounding the scratch on his hand blossomed a dark shade of red. Of course he would be the one to be attacked by a wolf on the way home. It was almost insane how much bad luck he had with wild animals. Thankfully, he had only been scratched once before he managed to get away, but the pain was so intense at the time that it felt like his entire arm had been mauled.

He had thoroughly disinfected the wound as soon as he got home, making sure it was fully covered in gauze before going to rinse the blood off of his shirt. It sucked that he had to use one of his favorite tees as a makeshift tourniquet, but at least he was able to wash the blood out before it stained the fabric permanently.

Hopefully, no one would worry too much about his injury. It would be really awkward to explain that a pissed off wolf caused it. 


End file.
